Ordinance Establishing Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) and Authorization to Enter into Agreement with McCracken County (vote March 26)
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance to establish a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF) for the Downtown Riverfront Area. The ordinance also authorizes the Mayor to enter into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement and a Local Participation Agreement for 20 years with McCracken County. At a joint meeting held February 19, the City of Paducah and McCracken County held a public hearing and discussed the creation of a mixed-use TIF authorized under KRS 154.30. The City of Paducah adopted a resolution in support of a partnership with McCracken County on February 26 with the County adopted a similar resolution at its February 25 meeting.
This ordinance establishes a specific Development Area (the TIF district); adopts the TIF Development Plan for the Downtown Riverfront Development Area; establishes a Special Fund for the incremental revenues; designates the Finance Department to administer the Special Fund; and authorizes the Mayor to enter into the necessary agreements to facilitate such activities in conjunction with the McCracken County Fiscal Court. The McCracken County Fiscal Court is adopting companion documents as well. Mayor Brandi Harless said, “I am thankful that the County is involved with us.”
The next step will be to submit an application for the creation of a TIF district to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
The planned TIF district would incorporate approximately 315 acres of downtown Paducah and the riverfront. The goal of a TIF district is to promote public and private development. A TIF district does not change the way property or businesses are taxed or how taxes are collected. The baseline revenue is first calculated on the applicable properties in the district. This is the amount of taxes currently collected. Then, once a TIF is created and public and private projects are implemented within the boundary of the TIF district, the tax revenue in excess of the baseline is reinvested in the district. It’s a way to capture taxes and reinvest the funds into the district to promote development. The taxes that can be used for reinvestment include state sales tax, property tax, individual income tax, and corporate tax in addition to local property and payroll taxes.
Establishment of 911 Communications Services Division Under Paducah Police Department
The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved an emergency ordinance to alter the organizational structure of the E911 Communications Service Department. With this ordinance, E911 becomes a division of the Paducah Police Department under the direction of the Paducah Police Chief rather than a standalone department of the City. The organizational structure change is due to Kentucky State Police/Federal Bureau of Investigations policies that require access to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) be within the supervision and purview of a law enforcement agency. E911 uses the NCIC database. This change allows E911 to continue its public safety function.
City Hall Project – Marcum Engineering Contract Amendment (vote March 26)
The Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance for Contract Amendment #1 with Marcum Engineering, LLC for the City Hall Renovation Project. Marcum has provided the design and construction administration services on the project. The City approved a fee of $337,000 for the project which went into effect in April 2017. This amendment increases Marcum’s contract by $59,500 to a total contract amount of $396,500. The contract increases are due to a variety of factors including the addition of landscaping and lighting services, coordination with the Kentucky Heritage Council, time extensions due to construction, and additional services due to concrete podium changes and the abatement of materials.
Kresge Demolition Project – Change Order with Contractor
At the February 26 meeting of the Paducah Board of Commissioners, the Board approved an emergency ordinance for a contract with Danny Cope & Sons Excavating, LLC in the amount of $573,000 for the emergency demolition of the building at 318 Broadway also known as the Kresge Building. At this meeting, the Board introduced an ordinance (vote March 26) for Change Order No. 1 which adds $14,160 to the contract. The change order is due to the addition of support brackets on the wall that adjoins the Regions Bank building.
The City purchased the building in October 2018 for less than $400 as part of a foreclosure process with the intent to raze the deteriorated building and advocate for future redevelopment. However, in mid-February, several bricks fell from the building’s façade accelerating the need to demolish the building since it was declared a public safety threat. For safety reasons and to facilitate the process, one lane of Broadway and the sidewalk will be closed between 3rd and 4th Streets for the duration of the project which is expected to last at least a month. There will be periods of time that both lanes of Broadway between 3rd and 4th Streets will need to be closed.
The demolition process includes stabilizing the building’s front and back walls. Then, the interior walls will be detached from the adjacent buildings safely and without harming the neighboring structures. The building has not been occupied for more than two decades.
Quick Highlights
- Jeanne Stroup, Bill Wells, and Steve Seltzer reappointed to the Paducah Golf Commission.
- Municipal order approved to submit an application for the 2019-2020 Kentucky Hazardous Waste Grant. The grant request is for $25,500 which, if approved, would be used to fund the annual City-County Spring Clean Up Day. The grant requires a local match of $6375 which would be divided between the City and County. Spring Clean Up Day will be April 13 from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.
- Municipal order approved to accept grant funding in the amount of $54,082 from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security which will be used to purchase two bomb suits for the Police Department. No local match is required. A separate municipal order was approved authorizing the purchase of the bomb suits and related items.
- Municipal order approved authorizing the purchase of ten Motorola radios for the Police Department using funds from the Justice Assistant Grant (JAG). The City received $23,100 in grant funds. The City will be providing $4645 in local funds for the purchase.
- Municipal Order approved authorizing the sale of the following pieces of city-owned surplus property and easements: 4051, 4063, 4075, and 4161 Pecan Drive. Atmos Energy is purchasing the pieces of property which were acquired during the Pecan Drive road project. Atmos plans to relocate aging pipelines and install a monitoring station. The purchase price for all of the properties together is $36,600.
- Ordinance introduced (vote March 26) to approve the final plat of subdivision for Ridgewood Villas Phase II. This property which is the site for duplexes and condominiums that are under construction is located at 319 Bleich Road.
- Commissioner Sandra Wilson invited everyone to attend the groundbreaking on Thursday at 4 p.m. for the new development located at 130 Lone Oak Road near the Coke Plant building.
- There will be a joint City-County meeting next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the McCracken County Courthouse. The topics of discussion will be the 2020 Census and 911.
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